My Plate

My New French Fries

     Teaching my tummy what our new french fries taste like. That's right I passed up the fast food on way home from shopping tonight. I have this bad habit of eating all the fries while they're hot on the way home. I intentionally grabbed some grapes to substitute for that habit on the way home. Had to be something ready, something sweet, something wonderful to work.
     My son and I both munched on a handful grapes on the trip home from the grocery store. I bought a variety of fruits and vegetables, while avoiding anything with a label. Healthy eating choices start with what you put in your basket and allow in your kitchen. Since I was adamant we were cutting back on sugar and filling our kitchen with wholeness, I let him select his favorite fruits and vegetables to fill up half his plate with while I planned to cook smaller portions of the main dishes we have always loved.
    Get used to it tummy-- the rainbow of Fruits and Vegetables has just replaced your same old colored, white, potatoes cooked in a way that not only increases the caloric intake but destroys much of the beneficial properties. The kitchen is now well stocked with plenty of fresh, whole choices to satisfy any sweet tooth without compromising our overall health.

Say 'Hello' to My Plate:
   The new USDA recommendations for serving proportions on a healthy plate replaces the complicated Food Pyramid and is closer to what I grew up on: the four squares. I love this simple plate design. It's easy to visual, easy to understand, and easy to use.
 
How to use My Plate:
     The first thing to do is make sure you put a lot of healthy fruits and vegetables in your shopping cart. Better yet, head out to your farmer's market this Saturday. Choose fresh, raw fruits and vegetables in a wide rainbow of colors: red, orange, yellow, green, greenish/white, and blue/indigo/violet. It doesn't matter whether you choose a fruit or vegetable in any of the color groups but remember fruits have more sucrose or natural sugar, than most vegetables. Plan your meals around a small portion of lean proteins and whole grains. You can always add dairy by sprinkling with cheese or cooking with a touch of sour cream.
   

My Dinner Plate

    When it's time to fill your plate; start by covering half to three quarters of your plate with fruits and vegetables. Then add your portion of lean proteins and whole grains. Think about your plate when you eat out as well. Instead of getting a salad plate and a buffet plate, how about just getting one plate and filling up one half of your plate with a salad before you head to the buffet line to fill up the other half.
    My dinner plate is an example of carry out food from our local Chinese restaurant. Of course they don't serve salads but before we opened the paper cartons of fried rice and General TSO's Chicken, we covered half our plate with vegetables we had on hand. Then we scooped out a portion of the fried rice and a portion of the General TSO's chicken, and immediately put the rest back in the refrigerator. The next afternoon we had a wonderful lunch to look forward to.
     My Plate is a wonderful way to make sure you are getting more fruits and vegetables in your diet. Remember, adding a wide variety of fruits and vegetables from the color spectrum helps you get the most benefit from the food you eat. The phytochemicals unique to each color offer a variety of defenses and repairs to your body. In addition, they are low in fat, calories, and sodium, high in fiber (which fills you up and helps with the digestive process), they are packed with vitamins and minerals that provide energy, and are cholesterol free.